


Nevermore

by GrepBaldwin (orphan_account)



Series: Grimmdark AU [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, Tragedy, grimmdark au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-19
Updated: 2014-01-19
Packaged: 2018-01-09 08:06:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1143572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/GrepBaldwin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of how one night began the events that would tear Ruby's world apart.<br/>Written for weissrabbit's grimmdark au.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nevermore

Shivers wracked her body and she fervently pulled the ends of her cloak closed. It was ill weather to be climbing a mountain. There was no sun to be seen past the dense gray clouds and the snow was only getting ever deeper as she pushed onward towards the summit. It was a fool's errand that she had taken, that she knew, but she had felt it the only choice left lest she succumb to the icy claws closing on her heart.

The wind blew another cold blast into her face, and as she wiped away the white powdery mix she remembered how she'd done the same on that terrible night when this journey had begun. The streets of Vale covered in a blanket of snow, a pristine white like powdered sugar, though not so sweet. The winds howling around her with their stinging icy bite. All this was forgotten in sight of her dear sister, Yang, running down the street holding a limp Blake Belladonna in her blood stained arms. 

She remember screams and yelling and gunshots. Chaos reigning around her as the forces of the White Fang pursued their escaping quarry. She remember running, so fast and far that her legs had felt so terribly sore for days to come. She remembered seeing Weiss Schnee, her devoted partner in Beacon Academy, tossing bolt after bolt of dust fueled attacks at their pursuers. And she also remember her sister's face, tears staining her cheeks as she cradled the black faunas. 

That night was two weeks past, and yet it seemed so longer gone. She missed the fun days at Beacon Academy. The days when all they would do was sit around and tell stories and have fun just being together. She missed it so much, but those days were gone now. So far away with no hope of ever returning again. 

The wind descended into a gentle breeze as she approached her destination. The stillness created an uncomfortable silence that enveloped her, pierced only by the soft sounds of snow under her boots. It was in silence, a silence much like this one, that Ruby's world had been torn apart. 

Two weeks prior...

They had finally escaped their pursuers as they exited the city of Vale. Before them lay the edge of the deep forests to the north, an ancient place that was an impenetrable wall of darkness by night. Though their muscles burned in protest the girls' payed it no mind as they looked to the limp form of their fallen comrade, resting still in the golden brawler's arms.

Yang lay Blake down in the snow, resting her head in her lap as she ran a hand absently through her blood-soaked hair. There were bruises and cuts all along her body, gashes split her sides, welts lined her arms, and her eyes were swollen and red. She was silent and still lying before them all, irreversibly and undeniably dead. Ruby had turned away, unable to hold back as she spewed the bile rushing to her throat. Weiss ran a hand along her team leader's back, trying to console her though her own eyes were awash with sadness.

There they stayed for a time. Until their eyes ran dry, and their throats were sore from weeping. Ruby felt Weiss' hand cradle her face, turning her towards the heiress as a handkerchief wiped her face clean of the putrid dribble that remained. As Weiss pulled the sullied cloth away Ruby clung closer to her white-haired teammate, taking comfort in her arms as she shook with heavy sobs. There they all stayed, in a thick silence that lay heavily over them like a large woolen cloth. And then Yang spoke.

"Weiss," The addressed cast her icy blue eyes towards the brawler, "Promise me something."

"P-promise you what? I think this is hardly the time for-" Weiss was cut off as Yang raised a hand to stop her, lilac eyes starring hard into the heiress' own.

"Promise me you'll take care of Ruby."

"What...What do mean 'take care' of her? How could you ask me that after Blake has-she's..." Weiss trailed off as she fought down the tide of emotions that welled up in her chest.

"Please, Weiss, just...promise me you'll look after her. That you'll be there." The heiress looked down at the girl whom was now nestled in her embrace.

"...Of course I will." Weiss replied.

Yang cast one last glance at the pair, smiled a last sad smile, and returned her gaze to the girl in her own arms. 

"Thanks, Weiss. Forgive me, Blake. Ruby..." Yang said, her words lost as she brought her lips to Blake's forehead. 

In an instant the silence was broken. A great blast of light and sound erupted from the brawler's body as her fiery aura burst to life around the pair. A moment passed and the blazing aura filled the eyes of Weiss and Ruby as they stared upon Yang's burning image. And then it was over.

Ruby remembered being petrified as she processed what she'd saw. That golden, burning light had been everything that was Yang. Her passions, her power, her very soul. Everything that was Yang Xiao Long had burst to life before their eyes, roaring one last time in defiance. In that same moment it forced it's way into Blake's lifeless body, tunneling deep and reigniting the spark of life deep within her. 

Yang's body slumped to the side as her aura's blaze ended, her golden mane sprawling into the white snow. The black and white form upon the girl's lap then erupted into coughing and sputtering. Specks of blood coated the white powdery cold before the faunas as she purged it from her throat. Her wounds: the gashes, the cuts, the bruises, and the welts all slowly healed as her aura shimmered back to life, mending the broken flesh. Blake's bright eyes opened, unfocused and dizzy as she gathered her surroundings. She looked to her side, seeing the blonde beauty lying there, and spoke quietly.

"Yang?" The plea was barely audible from where Weiss and Ruby sat, but they could see the stirring of the golden brawler.They watched as she stood, her face downcast making a veil of yellow that covered her face. Ruby felt her breath catch as she gazed upon the sight before her. as She watched her sister's hand raise slowly to part her golden hair she trembled in Weiss' arms, afraid of what she already knew was true. Molten red, that of burning magma stared back into her silver eyes as the beast that had once been her sister revealed it's face. Those terrible eyes had been the last thing she'd seen before she collapsed in her partner's arms, falling deep into blackness.

\-----------

Ruby awakened to the feeling of clean sheets against her skin and the faint smell of peppermint that enveloped her. She stretched, eyes opening to survey the room around her and stopping as she met icy blue. Weiss had apparently been sitting in a chair by the bed side while she slept, slumped over onto the bed with Ruby's right hand clasped tightly in hers. Ruby said nothing as she scooted closer to Weiss and wrapped her arm gently around the other girl's neck. Resting her head on the heiress' shoulder, she recounted to Weiss an old story that she'd found in the library. 

It had been a fairy tale, an old legend of two huntresses who were caught by a pack of beowolves. In the fight one of the huntresses falls to the fangs of one of the grimm. The other huntress manages to drive the pack away, but then finds her dying comrade who was already slipping away into the embrace of death. In a desperate move the huntress gave up her aura, her soul, to her dying comrade to save her life. The dying huntress was saved by this act, but the other was condemned. As a price for saving the other's life, the huntress became an abomination that was neither human nor grimm. Endlessly the huntress would stalk the lands as a monster until the day came when another huntress would cut her down. 

Ruby pulled the heiress closer still, and asked in a quiet voice, "Is that what happened to Yang? Is she... a monster now."

"Maybe, I don't know honestly. But I've heard that tale before, and there's something you should know, Ruby." The red huntress pulled back from the heiress' embrace, silver eyes questioning the icy blue. 

"Something I should know?..." Ruby asked.

The heiress took a deep breath as she stared back at Ruby, her fingers squeezing the huntress' hand gently. "The fairy tale is right that when give someone your aura you can become...tainted. But the truth is that it isn't a curse. It's more like a poison, and it doesn't take you right away."

"Wait, are you saying-" Ruby said earnestly, her eyes filling with new found hope, "are you saying there's a chance we can save her."

"I don't know. In theory it could be possible. From what I've heard it takes several days for it to fully consume someone, so there's a small chance. If we can find her before that we might find away to drive that taint from her." Weiss broke away from Ruby's gaze, "Blake has gone ahead. I decided to stay with you until you awoke. To make sure you were alright."

Ruby leaned over to peak at the white heiress' face. "You were worried about me?" She asked, a smile dancing at edge of lips. Weiss huffed indignantly at the other girl's question. 

"Well, of course I was," She said, "What kind of teammate would I be if I wasn't..." She trailed off as she saw the other girl was slowly being consumed with giggles.

"Are you laughing at me?" She exclaimed incredulously, glaring down at the huntress. 

Fighting through her laughter Ruby said, "No-no I'm not. It's just... Nice I guess." Weiss' glare softened as the huntress stumbled on her words.

"I'm just happy that you care that much about me, to be so worried like that." 

Weiss quickly pulled Ruby into another embrace as her face colored lightly, "Just go to sleep already, we'll leave in the morning."

Ruby eventually began to doze off in the white heiress' arms, feeling content to just be there with the other girl. Weiss, sensing the girl about to fall asleep, let go of the girl and lightly place her head upon the white pillows. Blue eyes gazed down at the red huntress thoughtfully, tinted with a touch of the strange feeling she felt building inside her. The words seemed to tumble from her lips as she slowly pulled away.

"I'll be here for you Ruby, always." 

The heiress got up from the bed and headed for the door. She had preparations to make.

\-----------

The heiress and the huntress had returned to the forest early in the morning, arriving at the edge of the treeline just as the day broke. They had equipped themselves with light traveling packs with supplies for the journey ahead of them. They packed provisions, spare clothes, maps and devices so they wouldn't be lost among the trees. Weiss had even produced what she called a "Dowsing Rod". It was a cylinder of solid dust in a metal casing that would allow one to find any person provided the user was of great skill. And had a sample of the person they were tracking. Luckily Weiss had covered both requirements, though she refused to answer how she had gotten a hold of a few strands of their teammates' hair. 

Ruby didn't press the issue, and Weiss appreciated it. 

As they trekked through the trees the red huntress took in her surroundings. The snow had covered the ground, smooth and flowing like the sands in the desert. Tall spires of wood protruded from the white, the brown forms supporting branches laden with snow. She felt a little unnerved as they walked, clutching carefully at the side of her cloak. 

Eventually they came to stand at the edge of a large clearing. The expanse formed an oval shape that thinned out as it reached where they stood. Weiss turned to the huntress, quickly producing the dowsing rod and other materials from her pack.

"This seems like a good enough spot to rest. I'll go and dowse again, you wait here." She stepped one foot towards the clearing, but stopped as a hand grasped her own. The white heiress turned back to glance questioningly at her companion. 

"Be careful." Ruby said. The heiress felt a small smile grace her lips as she saw the huntress' concern.

"I'll be fine. I'm sure I can handle any surprises that this forest has up it's sleeve." She responded.

"Forests don't have sleeves." A sigh.

"Ruby. I will be fine."

Weiss turned away, letting go of the huntress' hand. That small smile stayed on her lips as she walked towards the center of the clearing. Ruby watched as Weiss walked into position, scanning the leafless tress around them and watching the clear blue sky through their thin branches. The dowsing was slow going sometimes, and Ruby couldn't help but be a little nervous when they stopped to dowse every few minutes. The air felt thick in the forest, it was like they were under a constant threat, though they'd yet to see a single grimm throughout the woods. She no longer liked the idea of waiting for Weiss to finish her dowsing.

Ruby turned her eyes back to her partner as she stepped from out from the tree line to join her friend. But something remained, a feeling like a stirring in her stomach as she walk out of the eerie forest. Once in the clearing and free from the trees she felt the feeling break away from her as she could see the sky. And as soon as the open blue spread before her she was struck with fear.

In the sky above her a black winged beast that was diving into the clearing. It's beak was sharp and cut the air as it tucked it's wings by it's sides. It was massive, larger than their dorm room by several tens of feet and armed with deadly claws twice the width of her forearm. The red huntress was frozen as she watched it plummet, the black bird filled with darkness. The massive grimm known as a Nevermore. The terror that was heading straight toward the heiress' exposed form.

In that moment, as she saw the beast swooping with it's claws outstretched, her mind was filled with images. Blood splattered onto the pure white of the snow. A body, broken and lifeless, in the arms of a gold brawler. And molten red eyes, like burning fire that erupted from the deep. And in that moment something became so very clear in the red huntress' mind.

Ruby placed one foot forward, tension building and in a flash of rose petals she sped into the clearing. Her semblance pushed her forward as the tightness in her chest coiled around her heart. Through everything Weiss had been there. To hold her as she wept for Blake. To take care of her as she was undone by Yang's sacrifice. To be by her side as they traversed this lonely path in search of their friends. Ruby would not stand idly by, she would not let this creature take her friend away from her.

With a fierce cry she flew across the clearing. Crescent Rose unfolded into her hands, the gun scythe's blade glistening in the day light. The Nevermore's outstretched talons were closing on the white heiress who was half turned, caught unprepared during her ritual. A shot rang out in the forest as Ruby fired the gun scythe and swung it broadly before her, her whole momentum behind the strike. The blade struck true, slicing clean through the Nevermore's ankle and severing the appendage. 

Ruby had no time to revel in her victory. The Nevermore thrashed violently as it was attacked, flailing desperately in it's anguish. As she flew through the air the red huntress was struck by a mass of black feathers. She was thrown, her course changed violently as something tore into her. The girl hit the ground in a barren spot, smashing hard against the unforgiving soil. Her body skipped once, like a rock over water, and she collided with the harsh bark of a large oak. 

The world spun before her, her vision blurring. She could feel something wet spreading from her torso. Her arms and legs were full of lead and would not move as she bid them. Her mind was clouded, her thoughts swirled around her in a gentle spinning pool. She faintly heard someone screaming, though the sound seemed miles away as her consciousness faded.

Upon the mountain

The snow was getting thinner as the red huntress reached her destination. The memories of that night, and the day following it, had closed the remaining distance. It haunted her, this place, though she'd never been here before this moment. When she had awoken in that clearing it was with a start as she felt something like daggers pierce her chest. Cold, icy claws had gripped hold of her heart, the pain had been immeasurable. But then it was over, and she was then aware that she was utterly alone in the forest.

Ruby shivered, bringing her hands inwards to rub against her sides. Her corset had been replaced while she had been asleep, by whom she wasn't sure, though she had an idea who it might have been. The sudden change in her clothing had bothered her greatly at first, but just as the icy claws in her chest it had passed. Something else troubled her though, a feeling deep within her, like a longing for a dear friend who was far away. She was unsure of where the longing came from but she was sure of what she saw in her dreams. 

It had happened slowly at first. After she'd awakened she'd wandered the nearby area, searching for any sign of Weiss. The white heiress' disappearance had driven her mad with worry, but as her thoughts wandered the same longing began pushing itself back into her mind. And then, without warning, the claws were ripping into her chest once again. She had collapsed, eyes squeezed shut in agony, but behind shut eyes she saw it. She saw a tall mountain with a snowy peak. A long winding path covered in snow. And a cave near the summit, with a ridge that overlooked the valley and the forest within. 

Ever since that moment the mountain appeared to her whenever she shut her eyes. The icy claws would scrape delicately within her chest whenever she strayed from thinking of it's snowy peak. Even in her dreams she could not escape it, for she would be taken to the foot of the mountain then. In her dreams she would scale it, walking the narrow paths to find the cave near the ridge. And as she reached it she would see a flash of glacier blue gazing sorrowfully at her, before she was awoken by the morning light. 

Now, as she stood in the place she had seen in her dreams, she was watchful for those glacial pits, full of sorrow. Would she find herself in a dream once more? Was her walk still not over? The questions were abound in her mind, but there were no answers. 

Ruby looked upon the scene, casting her gaze from the mouth of the cave to the ridge opposite. There was truly nothing remarkable about this place, and yet something had drawn her here. Something had filled her mind with visions and tore at her heart to drag her all this way. Her silver eyes grew ever more confounded, and her face drew into a tightly packed frown. She saw it then, something in the distance, at the other end of the mouth of the cave. It was white, at first she thought it was just a snow drift but as she gazed she slowly began to see the lines of the shape. 

The red huntress stalked closer, wary of what she would find waiting. But all of her caution melted away as she saw what lay there. It was a girl, a girl in a white dress laying on her side in the snow with her back to Ruby. A girl with white hair drawn into a high pony tail. A girl with a long silver rapier looped to her waist. It was the white heiress, Weiss Schnee. 

Ruby rushed to her partner's side, dropping to her knees and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Weiss!" She exclaimed, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" 

"Ruby? What are you..." The heiress replied turning herself to face the red huntress.

When Ruby had seen Weiss lying there her heart had soared at the discovery, but now as she saw what had become of her partner the image cut her deeper than any blade ever would. The first thing that struck her were her lips, pale and tinted lightly blue from the cold. Her skin matched her lips condition, a deathly white replacing her once brilliant completion. Then it was the lines, the twin blood-red tracks that ran from cheeks to the corner of her eyes on either side of her face. Those eyes, those light glacier-blue eyes that had haunted her in her dreams were filled with that same endless sorrow. 

When she didn't immediately wake up, she knew it was real, and that reality hit her all at once. "Weiss... What happened to you? What's going on?" Ruby asked, her eyes stinging.

The heiress simply curled her lips in a small smile, raising a hand to gently touch the red huntress' face. "Ruby..." She said quietly.

"Weiss what happened to you, you're-you're..." She asked the heiress, but stopped short as her pale hand touched her cheek, "you're cold."

Weiss gently cupped Ruby's face with her hand, the huntress raising her own to gently grip her wrist. "Do you remember what happened after you attacked that Nevermore?" The heiress asked.  
Ruby thought back to their encounter in that clearing. She remembered the feeling of the wind against her face as she sailed through the air. The sound as Crescent Rose unfolded in her hands and the surge as she swung it's heavy blade. And she remembered black feathers, the sensation of falling from the sky. She remembered the wet, sticky feeling that spread across her torso. 

"After you maimed it, chasing it off wasn't too much of a problem," Weiss continued, not waiting for an answer, "but you were hurt. By the time I reached you the blood had soaked your corset. I tried to stop the bleeding but there was just too much. What supplies we brought couldn't help you and we were too far in the forest for anyone to get there in time..."

"You didn't. Weiss, please tell me you didn't." The huntress felt a hollow feeling growing inside her, like her whole being was sucked away.

"I did what I had to do. Your aura wasn't enough Ruby. You were dying, there was no other way." The heiress' eyes held the other girl's defiantly, "I didn't think it'd end this way though. I didn't give you all my aura, but I guess just a little is all it takes. Even for a Schnee."

Ruby bit into her bottom lip, holding back the sobs that threatened to break her. Tears rolled down her cheeks, some meeting the pale hand that was still pressed against her face. "This is all my fault. If I'd been more careful, if I hadn't just..."

"Ruby Rose don't you dare!" Weiss shouted, startling the other girl, "Don't you dare try to take the blame for this. This was my choice, Ruby, and mine alone. And as selfish as it was I would never take it back. I knew what would happen, just like Yang did. And I don't regret it for a second." 

"Weiss..." Ruby felt as if a wall had broken within her, flooding her with pain and grief. She collapsed onto the white heiress' chest, wailing her name. Weiss took her hand that had been on the huntress' cheek and slowly ran it through her hair, soothing the huntress. She ran it from the top of Ruby's head and through her black locks until the girl's wails began to soften into light sobs and sniffling. The white heiress looked up into the grey clouds, and spoke to the girl.

"You know, when I started at Beacon I wanted to be important. I wanted to be something, to rule that school. But then I met you and you were insufferable. You were obnoxious, childish, and clumsy. I reasoned that you were only here as a joke. But then you became my leader, and I was infuriated. I couldn't believe that some idiot had become the leader of our team over me. It was like a bad dream that I couldn't wake up from." Weiss stilled her hand that was running through Ruby's hair, resting it atop the red huntress' head.

"But then, then I really saw you. I saw that you were thoughtful and kind. That you wouldn't abandon your friends and your teammates. That although you were still a little childish, you made up for it with how much you put yourself into every thing. You rush into things, and sometimes that got us into trouble, but in the end you pulled us through. You never gave up, and I couldn't be prouder to have had you as a leader."

The huntress lifted her head to look into the heiress' eyes once more, "How can you say that? After all of this!? Yang is turning into a monster, Blake is missing, and you're dying! I'm a failure, Weiss, I've failed you and everyone else. I should never have been made leader, all I've done is hurt you. All I've done is let you down. How can you say your proud of me after all that?" 

"Because," Weiss said, smiling, "You're my best friend. I trust you with everything, Ruby." 

The huntress' hands clenched the heiress' dress lightly where she clung to her, fresh tears springing from eyes. "You're my best friend too, Weiss." She replied in a small voice.

The heiress grabbed hold of one of Ruby's hands, softly prying it away from her dress and leading it softly to her side. Ruby felt the hilt of the heiress' silver rapier being pushed into her fingers. 

"There's one last thing I'd ask of you, Ruby." Weiss pulled Ruby's other hand to join the first, forcing the girl to straighten as she pushed Myrtenaster into her grip.

"I know you've already been through so much, and this is so selfish of me, but please. Please don't let me become a monster. I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to hurt you. You don't have to do this if you-" The red huntress cut her off, pulling the rapier into her grip tightly. 

"No, Weiss," She said, "If this is what you want, I can do it. I know I haven't been a good leader. I know that I've made terrible choices. I know I've let you down. But if this one time I can do something right, if I can ease your suffering. Then I'll do it." 

Weiss looked up at her friend, smiling bittersweet as her own tears ran down her cheeks. "Thank you, Ruby."

The gloved hands tightened around the hilt of the rapier, the point hanging just above the heiress' chest.

"Goodbye."

And with a push the silver pierce the pure white, and something red like roses blossomed like a flower in the midst of spring.

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow was this a fun piece to write. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed creating this little fic. Any questions about the fic you can submit either in the comments section or to my tumblr which is listed on my profile.


End file.
